A Return to Honour Family

AT the age of 89, Betty Hickey (nee Lee) wanted to be in Scone for the 100 year commemorative service.

Her family were all born in Scone and her father, Clifford Lee, aunt Florence Lee and uncles George, Sidney and Howard all served in World War I.

Her uncle Sidney Lee was killed at Lone Pine and his name is etched in the local honour roll.

He died alongside other mates from Scone, Billy Pinkerton, Donald Crichton and Ted Kelly while they were charging Dead Man’s Ridge at Gallipoli in August 1915.

The battle at Dead Man’s Ridge was the highest battle casualty rate recorded by any Australian unit at Gallipoli.

For Betty it was important for her to be in Scone today to remember her uncle and her family.

“I’m the only one left in the family to commemorate 100 years, my father, aunty and my uncles, so I made the trip down to be here,” said Betty.

“My Aunty Florence served as a nurse and her name is up on the hospital’s memorial,” she said.

“And I still have my dad’s discharge papers from the war,” she said.

“My mother was a Cumberland, Vera Cumberland and they lived in Hill Street and I used to come up here with her to visit her parents when I was young and I’d play with Johnny Cumberland who was the taxi driver and Kay (John’s daughter) drove me here today,” she said.

“I was born in Sydney, but my brother and sister, Robert and Nancy were born here in Scone,” Betty said.

Betty Widdrington Hickey (nee Lee) came back to Scone to remember her family’s service in WWI and holds a photo of when she was in the army when she was in her 20’s.

Betty was also in the army during the Korean War but fortunately was not deployed.

“This is me 67 years ago, when I was in the army,” smiled Betty Hickey.